REUNION
by Shana the Short
Summary: AU Three years ago the Biju took the world by terror, broadcasting horrific murders before suddenly vanishing. Now they're back and it's up to the Akatsuki Investigation Unit and those closest to the people who became the Biju to figure out why. Fast.


**DISCLAIMER**

The anime and manga series of_ Naruto_ are the sole intellectual and retail property of Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo. Any and all characters, settings, themes and concepts found in this work of fanfiction are merely borrowed, and no money is being made in the process. **No claims of ownership are being made to the Naruto series **by the fan/author in question. The only elements of this work claimed by the author is the plot.

Thank you.

* * *

_You're in a room with a group of people that you could swear you have never met before in your life, and you have no idea how or why._

_You're wearing a hoodie that feels strangely _right_ on you, despite the fact that you're almost certain that you have never worn it before. You can't even recall pulling it on in the first place. The other people in the room are decked out in similar hoodies, and when you notice this the slightest hint of comprehension tickles at your brain. The other people are all looking at you, some worried, some terrified, all apparently waiting for something to happen. Or for the results of something that has already happened._

_They don't look away, even when the bolted steel door in the corner of the room slides open and a man who seems almost vaguely familiar steps in. At the sight of him, the tickle becomes a prickle. You think that Hachi and Nana would like that little turn of phrase, and make a mental note of it before you remember that you have no idea who Hachi and Nana _are. _The prickle becomes a tingle, and then a dull ache. The should-be-familiar man begins to speak._

_You're in a room with a group of people that you could swear you have never met before in your life (though it seems increasingly possible that you're wrong about that) and you have no idea how or why._

_But you're beginning to remember._

* * *

**(||) PAUSE**

**(/|/|) REWIND**

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**([]) STOP**

**(O) PLAY**

* * *

_**REUNION**_

_the reboot_

X

PROLOGUE

* * *

MARCH 28, 12:04 AM

* * *

_Welcome back to KOL™, _Sakura!_ Currently you have __**0**__ unread e-mails out of __**3421**__ and __**11**__ out of your __**79**__ friends are online._

A small, dainty hand cupped an equally delicate mouth as it cracked in a yawn, before raising and lacing with its twin in a luxurious stretch. Haruno Sakura, top student and procrastinator extraordinaire, held the pose for a beat, before dropping back into a tired slouch. It had been ages since she had last had to pull an all-nighter like this, but the sacrifice of her precious sleep had not been in vain. The twenty-two page lab report cooling on her printer was proof enough of that.

Her mental victory party was interrupted by a soft dinging from the laptop, and she turned to see which of her fellow night-owls no doubt was preparing to beg for her to help them with their own last-minute scramble to save their Biology grade.

**RamenisLUV **_would like to chat with you! _

_Would you like to accept this chat?_

**YES/NO**

Naruto? Sakura frowned. That was strange. He was in Physics. She clicked open the window, wondering what he could possibly need.

RamenisLUV _[00:04:44]:_ HAPPY B-DAY SAKURA-CHAN! Lol, wanted to be the 1st

CherriPop _[00:05:52]: _Haha, thanks Naruto! I didn't even think of that.

RamenisLUV _[00:06:02]: _np!

RamenisLUV _[00:06:08]: _hey Sakura-chan?

CherriPop _[00:06:13]:_ Yeah?

**RamenisLUV**_ is typing…_

RamenisLUV _[00:09:46]:_ Never mind. I'll just have to tell you later! It will make more sense then, anyways. I've got to go now, so I guess I'll see you when I see you~!

**RamenisLUV **_logged off at [00:09:49]_

CherriPop _[00:09:51]: _Wait what?

Sakura's forehead wrinkled in concern. That last reply hadn't sounded like Naruto at all; all the capitalization had been correct, and the only extra punctuation had given off more of a 'playful' feel than Naruto's exuberant exclamation point spamming. She could just write it off on it being the middle of the night, but something in the pit of her stomach told her that wasn't right.

She waited another fifteen minutes to see if he logged back on, before Kiba pinged her to grovel for a halfway decent lab template. By the time she was done saving his bacon and allowing him to pass the semester it was quarter past three and she barely had the energy to stumble five feet and collapse onto her bed.

She could see what was up with Naruto at school tomorrow.

* * *

MARCH 28, 8:16 AM

* * *

"—_and the recent string of brutal murders, suspected by many to be the work of the same group from three years ago, known best by their street moniker 'The Biju', continues. Police officials are still refusing to comment—"_

A loud groan rose from the students as the phone they were using as a radio was snatched away. "C'mon Asuma-sensei!" Ino whined. "This is _important!_ Dad said that the last one they put up was actually recorded a few miles from here this time!"

"Sorry Yamanaka, rules are rules." Asuma shrugged, taking a long drag on his cigarette and flagrantly violating the smoke-free policy of the campus. "Anyways, not the reason I bothered getting up. Any of you seen Uzumaki today? And don't just tell me he's absent, I mean if you've actually seen him; we checked all his normal skipping spots already. Yes, even on top of the water tower."

On the other side of Ino, Sakura's pen slowed to a stop. "He…wasn't at lunch today." She said slowly, feeling something in her chest tighten and sink. From the corner of her eye she could see Sasuke roll his eyes.

"Tch." He scoffed. "Idiot probably passed out at that ramen bar again. Bet he never even went home."

Except Sakura knew he had, because despite his parents being loaded and eager to get him whatever he wanted, Naruto remained loyal to his old, clunky orange brick of a phone and that meant that there was no way for him to message her without his computer. Her grip tightened on her pencil, nearly snapping the thin wood.

She hoped that idiot hadn't done anything rash.

* * *

"—_officials are still refusing to comment on whether or not the Biju are in fact responsible for these killings, or if they are merely the work of copycats—"_

"Turn that off, Kisame." Itachi ordered his partner. "We'll be hearing more than enough about it in due time." The blue haired man rolled his eyes, but obediently switched off the radio as they pulled into the parking lot of the building they had been ordered to report to.

"You honestly think they're going to give us the Biju case?" he asked, voice deceptively casual. Kisame had still been a thug for hire during the Biju's original spree, and like many of those on the street, had a healthy mix of fear, respect, and awe for the mysterious group. Itachi couldn't imagine what it must be like to be facing the prospect of hunting down your nightmares and heroes.

"The Biju, or at least the thought of their return, are inspiring whole new levels of panic in the populace, and they are currently believed to be operating in our region. We are nationally acknowledged as the best when it comes to hunting down terrorists and other hostile groups. Therefore it follows that more likely than not, our team will be assigned the Biju case." The Uchiha explained as they exited the car and moved up the steps. "Of course there is the possibility that I am mistaken, but it is—"

"WE GOT THE BIJU CASE, UN!" Deidara shrieked as they walked through the door, jumping up and down and flailing around like a prepubescent girl who had just won the tickets to the latest teen pop-star concert.

"—extremely slim." Itachi finished, lips tilting smugly.

Sasori sighed and walked over, slapping his spastic partner across the face. Instantly, the blond sobered. "Thanks, danna." He said, blue eyes serious. "I needed that. Because WE GOT THE BIJU CA—"

_SLAP._

"S'been like that all fucking morning," grumbled Hidan, sprawled out across several of the reception room's chairs. "Ever since the call came in."

"Can you blame him?" asked Kisame, losing interest in the violent shenanigans of the duo almost at once. "I mean, it's the _Biju case._ These guys are literally _legends_."

"Saints." Hidan corrected, mouth twisting into a snarl. "The Jashinites canonized them _ages _ago, you damned heathen—"

"Don't you dare tell the higher ups that." Kakuzu hissed. "They'll yank this away from us so fast it will make your head spin if they think we're more invested in this than necessary and if we pull this off the payoff will be _enormous."_

All of them, even Deidara, paused a moment to reflect on the sheer amount of cold hard cash it took for _Kakuzu_ to consider it 'enormous'. It was a beautiful, awe-inspiring thing.

During this rare moment of silence, one of the leaders of their team walked in. Konan flicked a strand of blue back behind her ear, waiting to ensure she had their full attention. When even Hidan had pushed himself upright, she held up a thick folder and a flash drive. "We have been assigned the task of tracking down those known as the Biju, and have been ordered to spare no expense."

Deidara turned to his partner with a victorious crow on his lips, only to be met with a vicious left cross to the temple that knocked him out.

Itachi sighed, rubbing his eyes as he turned to their boss. "We'll drag him to the conference room."

Konan nodded and turned on her heel.

Twenty minutes later saw the full team arranged around a long table, including Konan's two partners. Deidara nursed his aching head with a bag of ice, glaring mutinously at the redhead next to him until the lights flicked off and all attention was drawn to the projector screen at the end of the table. It showed a long list—over a hundred, at least—of dates, names, and places.

"This," said Konan. "Is what the Biju have accomplished within the past month, or at least the ones that have been reported or attributed to them." She clicked a button, and the list was switched with a slightly shorter one. "The reported kills from last month." Another click, and another incrementally shorter list. "The month before that." Click. The list shrank again. "December." Click. Shrink. "November. October, September, August." Click, click, click. The final list was only a little more than a dozen names, all concentrated in roughly the same area. She looked up, her face even grimmer than normal. "I can see that some of you have already reached the same conclusion that the experts previously in charge of analyzing this material have."

"They're regrouping." Itachi murmured, eyes sharp. It wasn't a question.

Konan nodded. "That is what we believe. As far as we can tell, for some reason the Biju split up three years ago, marked by the end of the mass murders they were credited for. From the jumps in numbers now, we're assuming that they're tracking down their ex-members and reverting to their old habits. It is our job to figure out why they're reforming, why they split up and stopped killing, and where they will strike next. To do this, we…" She paused, stumbling in her speech for the first time Itachi could ever recall in the history of their time working together.

Yahiko, one of her partners, took over for her. "We have been given all the materials that have been gathered and saved by previous investigation teams, the media, and much of the public have from the Biju's first run, as well as a fourth goal." He clicked his own remote, bringing up sixteen blurry pictures. Itachi heard several sharp inhalations, and a muttered prayer from Hidan. "We are to find out who, exactly, the Biju are, or were, and are authorized to bring those closest to them into the investigations as consultants for possible motive. Our other aim is to figure out when, where, and why the Biju originally formed, using information gathered from these individuals once the identities have been determined."

The third member of their cell moved back from the table and rolled his wheelchair over beside his friends. "If any of you have any issues regarding this assignment, please speak now." Nagato slowly scanned the room, getting the same shake of the head from each member of the team.

The Akatsuki was not going to let this case slip out of their hands.

* * *

"Okay." Yahiko clapped his hands together, taking center stage once more after they had informed the higher ups of their decision. "It took some work, since all we really had to go on were low quality pictures and a few videos from cell phones, but we have vague dimensions for most of the Biju. We think they should only have about seven or eight of their members back, from the murder methods and number reported. Here's what we have to work with."

Three of the photos on the screen were blown up. They were a bit blurry, due to motion, but the figures had been refined enough to be useful. Each of the Biju was wearing a hoodie in a separate color, with a small patch of a different color somewhere on them, and reflective sun glasses. "Numbers." Yahiko explained. "At least, that's what some of the clearer, closer shots have confirmed. We know for a fact that there are at least nine of them in total, but probably ten. There are no clear shots to confirm this, but in most of the photos and videos there is a black figure that cuts through at least once."

Konan passed out folders with close-ups of each Biju, including several of the black smudge. "This person has been labeled Ten, in accordance with their pattern…and many of the rumors and stories that have been passed around. We only have so much confirmed fact we can trust without putting some stock in hearsay.

"We believe, from the murder methods displayed in the first few months, that they reassembled in numerical order, meaning that One would have started off the cycle." Nagato pressed another button, bringing up a new list of numbers and names, this time with a description of how they were killed. "One was credited with techniques such as strangulation, suffocation, severe mutilation with rough mediums, and blunt force trauma, most likely with something along the lines of a sand bag, as silica was frequently found on or around his victims."

A picture of One was brought up, cleaned up as best as possible. The figure was shockingly young, probably only thirteen or so, in gold-tinted glasses and a light brown hoodie with a purple '01' sewn onto the front of the hood. Though the top half of One's face was obscured, the psychotic grin beneath it was unmistakable.

"In One's case at least, we don't have to do much. His identity has already been determined." Nagato brought up a second picture. The teen it featured was pale and scowling, with eyes heavily lined in black and carelessly tousled bright red hair. "Sabaku no Gaara, age seventeen, born and raised in Suna, where his father is the current Kage. Three Missing Person's reports have been filed for him: once when he was six, when he ran away after witnessing his uncle's suicide. Once when the entire family took a publicity trip to Rice when his father was up for re-election _three years ago,_ and the most recent: mid-July of last year."

Sasori snorted. "Can't say I'm shocked. Both his parents come from families well known for hereditary mental illnesses."

"Watch your tongue from here on out." Yahiko warned the Suna-born operative. "We're flying his siblings in to help predict and explain his movements."

Sasori rolled his eyes, but nodded.

Itachi tilted his head to the side, staring at the killer on display who was just about the same age as his younger brother. "What was so special about mid-July?" he wondered aloud.

"That's what we're hoping to figure out," Konan replied, glancing at the glowering teen. "His siblings were questioned when they first filed the report—the Kazekage was away on business at the time—but the only thing of merit either could remember happening around that time was taking him to see a presentation about several foreign colleges."

Sasori blinked, thinking hard. "…you said he started the cycle, yes?"

"That's our theory."

"Then," Deidara began, catching on. "What if this was the first opportunity he got, un?"

Itachi nodded, tapping his fingers on the table. "I have brought my younger brother and his friends to several such gatherings. Often there are slideshows playing in the backgrounds. In them, pictures of the campus and student body are generally focused on."

Deidara took over again, not wanting Itachi and his partner to get all the credit. "So, what if Two was one of those students, or even a teacher? Gaara's sitting there, obviously not the happiest of campers, un, and _bang!"_ he slammed his palm onto the table. "There's his old buddy Two, a reminder of better and bloodier times, who he hasn't even seen since the split, un. So, with a lead—"

"He then heads for whatever college the slideshow Two was featured in." Sasori finished, again ignoring the blonde's dark look. "Can we track the trail of murders and pinpoint which college he could have headed for? If we cross-reference any students, staff, or recent alumni who have recently gone missing—"

"Then we'll have Two, un!"

Konan smiled, digging out her cell phone. "I'll have our men in Suna look into it immediately."

* * *

**Author's Note**

Sooo…I'm back! This is just an experiment of mine so far; a plot-bunny that stuck while I was on a plane a month ago, that still hasn't disappeared. I'm going to play it by ear for now, but I have the next few chapters already in the works. Let me know what you think of it so far; constructive criticism is definitely welcomed, as well as just letting me know if it was good or blegh-worthy.

Thanks!


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